


A Bit of Secret Self-Discovery

by Isolophiliac



Series: Idiosyncrasy Among Brothers [9]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bat Brothers, Bat Family, Self-Discovery, Sexuality Crisis, Tim Drake-centric, lgtbq+
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 05:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14742450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isolophiliac/pseuds/Isolophiliac
Summary: Something happens with Kon, something that makes Tim question... Things.





	A Bit of Secret Self-Discovery

Dick was worried, granted he usually was, his fear for his family’s well being a constant itch at the back of his mind (hey, someone had to worry and when your family includes one Jason Todd and a Damian Wayne you learn pretty quick that _that_ someone’s going to be you) this worry was far different then _‘I hope they aren’t bleeding out in a dark back alley’_ worry and all of this somewhat confusing line of worry could be traced back to one cause, a catalyst if you will-

For Tim was pacing and Tim only ever paced when he was having trouble thinking, but Tim never, ever had trouble thinking! He was the enigmatic genius of the family! Even by Bruce’s standards (which, as you might know, is _really_ saying something).

But here he was, _pacing._

From a distance Tim, with his almost unhealthy alabaster skin, overgrown undercut (with a widow’s peak to match) and baggy workout clothes looked just like any other overworked teenager, but Dick knew better, he knew Tim and Tim only paced when he was thinking too much, when he’d been stuck on a problem he just couldn’t solve for a little too long, when coffee was suddenly good enough to replace sleep (Tim never drank energy drinks, come to think of it none of them really did) and food became optional.

When Tim paced it always meant it was time, once again, to stage some sort of mini-intervention, to force him out of his apartment (or in many cases, the Batcave), make him eat something healthy and then lock him in his room until he slept from dusk till dawn and then a few hours more.

Sometimes he was too much of a perfectionist (and an idiot) for his own good.

But for some reason, this didn’t feel like one of those times.

There weren’t any dark circles under his eyes or uncharacteristic workplace clutter, and, in all honesty, no over-complicated puzzle to solve, in fact with all the baddies caught back in Arkham from their last and semi-recent prison break they were looking at a relatively quiet week, or at least a quiet as Gotham could get.

So what was with the pacing?

Dick didn’t know, but he had a plan A, B, C, D and K to help him figure it out.

Tim turned on the balls of his feet the moment he almost walked into the wall (you’d be surprised how often someone did that, Bruce really should install some better lighting) and starting wandering back to where he’d started his pacing, right towards Dick who he hadn’t quite yet noticed.

“You okay there, Timmy?” Dick asked as soon as Tim's steps became a little too unsteady.

“Hun?” Tim breathed, looking up from the dreary stone floor as though in a daze, his posture righting itself the moment his heavily grey-tinted azure eyes fell onto Dick’s lithe frame.

“You okay?” Dick repeated, cocking his head to one side with one of his eyebrows raised, turning him from a childish, mother-henning young adult to an inquisitive puppy in a matter of seconds.

“I’m fine,” Tim muttered, waving off Dick’s concern as he resumed his pacing.

“You sure about that?” Dick asked, blocking Tim’s path.

“Yes.” Tim deadpanned, trying to get around his adoptive big brother.

Tim silently cursed as he realized (more like remembered) that Dick was way, way too stubborn to let him succeed.

“So, what are you working on?” Dick asked, changing the subject and much to Tim’s annoyance, finding a way, as he almost always did, to keep up the conversation.

Tim didn’t really know how to respond to that, how could he with _goawaygoawaygoawaygoaway_ playing like an endless mantra in his head?

“Just some research for the Titans.” Tim shrugged, doing everything in his power to stay nonchalant.

He could tell from the look on Dick’s face that it wasn’t working.

_Go away, go away, goaway, goawaygoaway._

He knew Dick knew he was lying, how couldn’t he? Tim didn’t even know if he’d ever be able to go back to the tower again with he’d just done.

_But did he really do anything wrong?_

It hadn't felt wrong.

“Really? On what?” Dick asked, feigning interest.

For someone so good at undercover work, Dick was a really bad actor.

“Nothing, it’s not important,” Tim muttered, trying, once again to walk away.

Once again he was stopped, but not by a semi-childish semi-grown-up but by a warm, calloused hand falling on his shoulder.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Timmy? You know you can tell me anything.” Dick asked, his eyes searching.

_Go away, go away go-_

Tim sighed, done with hoping that Dick would just let it go.

He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t make the words come out.

He knew Dick thought he was overworking himself, he always overworked himself, if he just said he was a little stressed then he’d make him take a break and then he’d let him leave, keep a close on eye on him, but he’d let him _go_ nonetheless.

But what if he didn’t want to leave? What if he didn’t want to _lie?_

He should say it, he should just tell him.

This shouldn’t be so hard, this should be normal, not… whatever this is.

He could still feel it, he could still feel _Connor’s lips_ on _his,_ pressing against him, his arms holding him close.

If his parents had been alive to see it… Tim didn’t know what they would’ve done, but he knew they wouldn’t have been happy about it.

He should be able to tell Dick, the guy was raised in the circus! He was one of the most accepting people on the planet, and probably on many more if he ever decided to join Batman on one of his inter-planetary missions.

But… He couldn’t, he just wasn’t ready, not yet.

_He would,_ he knew he’d have to at one point or another, he just... _wanted_ to wait, wait until he could get his parent’s rants out of his head and his emotions out of the tangle of knots they’d been in since his and Connor’s kiss.

He’d kissed Connor.

Connor had _kissed him._

The realization made him giddy inside like there were _happy_ butterflies in his stomach, ones that weren't overcrowded and, for now, that was enough, that was what he needed to focus on.

A small grin tugged at the corners of Tim’s lips.

“I… I- I need to talk to someone.” Tim murmured, heading towards the more... garage-like part of the cave. “But I’ll tell you! _I will!_ Just… Later.” Tim reaffirmed talking to himself just as much as he was talking to Dick.

“If you say so...” Dick muttered, leaving the cave even more confused, but a lot less concerned.

He’d never seen Tim that energetic before, plus he trusted him.

But... Tim had mentioned the Titans, so maybe checking the security footage couldn’t hurt…

_No! No,_ he trusted Tim, and Tim had said he’d tell him and if it was something really bad he would.

Dick was willing to wait.

**Author's Note:**

> This version of this one-shot is a heavily edited (for the better) version of the original one I posted on Fanfiction.net, let's just say I'm a lot happier with this one then I am the other. Also... Changed my username, just in case there's any confusion.


End file.
